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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · rest · object · kick · cabinet · bowl

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. object — a thing
  3. kick — in football
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. object — to protest
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rest — what's left
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. object — an aim
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cabinet — ministers

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