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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: date · row · nail · suit · cabinet · can · branch · kick

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kick — in football
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — a division
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. suit — to fit
  14. date — the fruit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — in cards
  20. row — to paddle
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. kick — with a leg

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