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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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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: mate · shower · cabinet · kick · craft · swing

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. craft — a skill
  3. swing — to play on
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mate — to breed
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. swing — music
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mate — a friend
  18. craft — boats

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