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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. present — there
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — a gift
  6. perch — the fish
  7. present — the time now
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rush — hurry
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mug — a face
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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