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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ball — a dance
  4. snap — to click
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bank — of a river
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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