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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: nail · hide · bat · lean · cue · bowl · craft · press

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — to push
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. craft — boats
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. press — a publisher
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bat — the animal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cue — for pool

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