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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.

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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: charge · rest · object · hand · bark · cabinet · nail · foot

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — to protest
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. object — a thing
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rest — a break
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. foot — the bottom

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