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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.

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: cabinet · rash · pound · pitcher · bore · board · arm · cap

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — to tire
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — to get on
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cap — a lid
  17. board — a committee
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cap — of ice
  24. arm — part of the body

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