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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: cabinet · dip · charge · row · firm · pop · nail · fan

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. firm — steady
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — a price
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. pop — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. row — a line
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — on a finger

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