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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — to paddle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. band — a ring
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. row — a line
  14. band — a music group
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stock — shares
  19. wax — to grow
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stock — goods
  24. saw — the tool

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