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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: nail · cabinet · content · board · hide · rock · last · rush

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. last — finally
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. content — the amount
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. last — to go on
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — to get on
  15. last — final
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. board — a committee
  24. hide — to keep secret

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