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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.

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: hide · lean · fine · swing · clip · craft · key · cabinet

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fine — all right
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — to cut
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. key — for a lock
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — thin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. clip — a video
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lean — to bend
  19. craft — boats
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. key — in music
  22. craft — a skill
  23. swing — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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