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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 116 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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a skill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — boats
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — 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