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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: wake · cabinet · nail · kid · track · jam · lean · ball

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a path
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ball — a dance
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a song
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ball — a great time
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. track — to keep track
  16. kid — to tease
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — thin
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. kid — child

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