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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.

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: rest · cabinet · lie · nail · wax · jam · pitcher · kid

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. kid — child
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rest — a break
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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