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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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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. capital — money
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fork — in a road
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. staff — a stick
  9. capital — a city
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. craft — boats
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. staff — employees
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. hand — in cards
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — a skill
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — a garden tool

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