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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: bat · stand · key · craft · bay · leaves · content · mate

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. key — for a lock
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. key — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. craft — a skill
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. content — happy
  19. stand — to bear
  20. content — the amount
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bat — the animal
  24. craft — boats

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