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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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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 · bowl · roll · lean · deal · cabinet · last · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — to go on
  6. lean — to bend
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. last — final
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. roll — a list
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. last — finally
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lean — thin

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