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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: object · press · cabinet · club · sharp · kid · drill · fine

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fine — all right
  4. object — an aim
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. kid — child
  7. object — a thing
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. press — to push
  11. club — for golf
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. drill — the tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fine — high quality
  17. drill — army training
  18. club — a group
  19. kid — to tease
  20. drill — a practice
  21. object — to protest
  22. press — a publisher
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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