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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 116 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: cabinet · mug · kick · fan · bass · ruler · craft · prune

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. craft — boats
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mug — a cup
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. mug — a face

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