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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: rock · craft · toast · kick · pit · hide

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. toast — bread
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. kick — in football
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — music
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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