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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · cabinet · hand · object · nail · fork · rock · date

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. date — the fruit
  4. hand — in cards
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. object — an aim
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fork — in a road
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — to protest
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — a thing
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rock — a stone
  22. hand — help
  23. rock — music
  24. 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