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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. craft — boats
  7. hand — help
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — the most important part
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. craft — a handicraft

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