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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: race · pitcher · cabinet · suit · object · hand · charge · land

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. land — to come down
  3. object — an aim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. land — ground
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — a price
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. race — humankind
  13. hand — in cards
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hand — help
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. race — a contest
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pitcher — a jug

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