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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 116 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: leaves · hide · fork · kid · mug · craft

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mug — a cup
  6. craft — boats
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a skill
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mug — a face
  16. kid — child
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with

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