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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.

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: scale · bound · pit · saw · lean · arm · kid · cabinet

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. kid — to tease
  4. scale — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lean — thin
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kid — child
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to bend
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bound — certain
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. saw — the tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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