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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: hand · jam · fine · dip · deal · land · bore · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. hand — in cards
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. land — ground
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — to tire
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bore — to drill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. land — a country
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. land — to come down
  24. fine — all right

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