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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — a tin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — there
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — a gift
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. present — the time now
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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