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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · cabinet · tube · kick · deal · land · temple · can

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. tube — the underground
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. can — to be able to
  7. deal — to handle
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. saw — the tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. land — to come down
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. can — a tin

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