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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. shower — rain
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — ground
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. court — of law
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. court — of a king
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. court — for sport
  24. calf — a young animal

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