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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: can · mine · cabinet · ball · firm · arm · suit · press

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a dance
  4. suit — in cards
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. firm — decided
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. suit — clothes
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — a tin
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ball — a round shape

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