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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.

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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: suit · pound · dip · cabinet · bulb · nail · march · calf

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. march — the month
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. suit — to fit
  13. march — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. dip — to sink
  22. march — the month
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bulb — for light

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