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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: ball · chip · hide · cue · lean · bulb · craft · lash

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. craft — boats
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lean — to bend
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lean — thin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — to eat
  24. craft — a skill

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