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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 124 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ground — crushed
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ground — a position
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — in sport
  17. ground — the earth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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