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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.

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: cabinet · lash · trunk · stand · dip · drill · tube · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. drill — the tool
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. drill — army training
  17. tube — the underground
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. tube — a container
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. firm — a company
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — decided

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