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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: drill · ball · chair · cabinet · firm · board · fine · kid

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. kid — to tease
  7. board — to get on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. firm — a company
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. drill — the tool
  15. firm — decided
  16. drill — army training
  17. kid — child
  18. firm — steady
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — a committee
  22. fine — all right
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ball — a great time

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