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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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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: clip · lean · cue · cabinet · bay · pass · bass · craft

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lean — thin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. clip — a video
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pass — a permit
  14. craft — boats
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bass — low music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. clip — to cut
  24. cue — a hint

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