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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
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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: pitcher · hide · cell · coach · ball · snap · cabinet · toast

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. snap — to click
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. toast — bread
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — to keep secret

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