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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hand — help
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hand — in cards
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — a skill
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to click
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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