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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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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: chest · object · court · nail · cabinet · game · arm · fine

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fine — high quality
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — an aim
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. object — to protest
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — a box
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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