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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: cap · cabinet · fork · scale · charge · bore · nail · clip

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bore — to tire
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cap — a lid
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. clip — a video
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cap — of ice
  14. clip — to cut
  15. cap — a hat
  16. clip — for paper
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. scale — in music
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fork — in a road
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — to eat with

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