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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. object — to protest
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ground — crushed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ground — a position
  9. object — an aim
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — a thing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ground — the earth
  21. band — a music group
  22. firm — steady
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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