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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: nail · kick · cabinet · clip · trunk · pass · pitcher · face

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. kick — in football
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. clip — a video
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pass — a permit
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — for paper
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pass — to succeed

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