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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: pit · craft · bat · suit · fork · board · nail · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  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. staff — employees
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. staff — employees
  11. board — to get on
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. staff — a stick
  15. board — a committee
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bat — the animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bat — for baseball
  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