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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.

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: ground · hide · suit · pit · craft · straw · mate · can

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mate — a friend
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mate — to breed
  7. craft — a skill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pit — a hole
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — in cards

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