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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.

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: snap · craft · key · leaves · suit · hand · dip · rock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. key — the most important part
  7. hand — help
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — for a lock
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rock — a stone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. craft — boats
  21. suit — in cards
  22. craft — a skill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rock — to move gently

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