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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: hide · cabinet · bat · nail · leaves · bowl · lean · club

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — thin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — for baseball

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