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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.

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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: stem · bear · cabinet · present · fine · wound · object · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. hand — help
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. stem — to come from
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. present — there
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. object — to protest
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fine — high quality
  21. object — an aim
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — a penalty

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