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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: nail · bore · object · leaves · chip · cabinet · kick · perch

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. object — a thing
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. object — an aim
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. perch — the fish
  11. kick — in football
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bore — to tire
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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