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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: nail · perch · cabinet · mug · object · ground · root · cold

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. root — of a word
  6. ground — a position
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. root — the cause
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cold — an illness
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. object — a thing
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. object — to protest
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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