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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: craft · hide · kid · plane · key · can · mine · bay

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. kid — to tease
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. key — for a lock
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — in music
  20. kid — child
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mine — for digging

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