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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.

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: hide · hand · prune · craft · key · chip · rash · ground

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — a position
  5. chip — to eat
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. craft — boats
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. hand — help
  21. prune — to trim
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rash — on the skin

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