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

Word bank: hide · kick · ruler · kid · cabinet · firm

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kick — in football
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. kid — child

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