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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: tube · pass · nail · kid · perch · band · cabinet · bowl

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. 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. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — a permit
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — a container
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. tube — the underground
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. band — a music group
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. band — a ring
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. 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