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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
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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: stick · hide · cap · swing · cabinet · sharp · last · track

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — a hat
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. last — to go on
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cap — a lid
  12. track — a path
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. swing — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. swing — in golf

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