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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: kick · wave · racket · cabinet · mine · ruler · wind · drill

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. kick — in football
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — army training
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mine — for digging
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. drill — a practice
  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