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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: mug · craft · bat · pass · kid · game · row · key

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. game — a match
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pass — a permit
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. key — for a lock
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. kid — child
  15. row — a line
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — in music
  19. craft — boats
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — the most important part
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bat — the animal

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