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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: bowl · chest · rash · suit · spring · nail · cabinet · land

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chest — a box
  4. land — ground
  5. spring — of water
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rash — a series
  10. land — to come down
  11. suit — to fit
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. land — a country
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — hasty
  18. spring — a coil
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. suit — in cards

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