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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: cabinet · wave · dip · object · track · kick · roll · capital

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. capital — a city
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. object — a thing
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. roll — a list
  9. dip — to sink
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. track — a path
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. track — a song
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. object — to protest
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. capital — money

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