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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 116 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: dip · lie · pitcher · cabinet · rock · wave · deal · nail

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rock — music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. dip — to sink
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. nail — for a hammer

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