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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: kick · cabinet · fan · pass · craft · hide · court · mate

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. kick — in football
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mate — to breed
  7. court — of a king
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — a friend
  13. court — for sport
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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