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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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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: rule · firm · object · land · wave · arm · cap · cabinet

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — government
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. object — to protest
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. land — to come down
  17. cap — a hat
  18. land — a country
  19. object — a thing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rule — a law
  23. cap — of ice
  24. land — ground

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