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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: scale · spell · cabinet · stick · kid · fan · deal · nail

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. spell — letters
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. kid — child
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spell — magic

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