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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · object · kick · hide · game · bass · chest · tube

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. kick — in football
  3. bass — the fish
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bass — low music
  9. game — a match
  10. chest — a box
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. object — a thing
  14. tube — a container
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. object — to protest
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — an aim

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