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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: kick · present · cabinet · firm · patient · suit · wave · tube

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. firm — decided
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — there
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — to fit
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — in football
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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