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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: mouse · pound · present · straw · object · cabinet · ball · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. present — the time now
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cold — not warm
  6. object — a thing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — a gift
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cold — an illness
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — an aim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pound — a weight
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. object — to protest
  24. present — there

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