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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
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: kid · lean · ball · craft · firm · cabinet · mate · wound

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — a company
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lean — thin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — decided
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kid — child
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. kid — to tease
  22. ball — a dance
  23. firm — steady
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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