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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. present — a gift
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. staff — employees
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — finally
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. last — to go on
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. race — a contest
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. race — humankind
  19. present — there
  20. plane — a tool
  21. present — the time now
  22. last — final
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com