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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 120 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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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: cabinet · wave · fork · dip · pass · race · bore · straw

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. race — humankind
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. race — a contest
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to sink
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wave — with your hand

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