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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.

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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: pass · bat · track · clip · nail · fall · cabinet · bowl

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. clip — a video
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. track — a song
  11. fall — to drop
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. clip — for paper
  20. track — a path
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fall — the season
  24. cabinet — ministers

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