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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — steady
  5. chest — of your body
  6. firm — decided
  7. spell — magic
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — letters
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spell — a short time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chest — a box
  16. firm — a company
  17. shower — rain
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. shower — to wash
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — the 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