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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · ball · net · chip · cabinet · craft · key · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. craft — boats
  3. chip — to eat
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. key — in music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ball — a great time
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — for betting
  17. net — for catching
  18. stand — to bear
  19. net — in sport
  20. key — the most important part
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. row — to paddle
  23. net — after costs
  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