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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: wound · nail · mug · swing · cabinet · shower · perch · cap

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. swing — music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. swing — to play on
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wound — an injury
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mug — to rob
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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