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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.

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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lean — to bend
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lean — thin
  11. ground — crushed
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cabinet — ministers

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