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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: firm · pass · kid · content · nail · rush · cabinet · chip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. content — the amount
  3. chip — to eat
  4. firm — a company
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. kid — child
  16. rush — hurry
  17. firm — steady
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pass — a permit
  23. content — happy
  24. nail — for a hammer

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