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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 120 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: tube · staff · nail · cabinet · ball · suit · kid · chair

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. staff — a stick
  4. kid — child
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chair — a leader
  13. tube — the underground
  14. staff — employees
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. suit — in cards
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. kid — to tease
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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