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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 120 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: key · tube · bay · board · cabinet · craft · swing · bat

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tube — the underground
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — in music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. craft — boats
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. tube — a container
  19. key — for a lock
  20. swing — to play on
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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