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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: bulb · mouse · coach · ball · craft · hand · cabinet · snap

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hand — in cards
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hand — help
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a great time
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. snap — to click
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mouse — the animal

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