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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: kid · stand · bay · cabinet · ruler · ground · snap · object

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. object — a thing
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — a position
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. kid — to tease
  14. object — an aim
  15. snap — to click
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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