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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: rest · squash · drill · dip · cabinet · fine · object · trunk

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. squash — to crush
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. drill — a practice
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fine — high quality

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