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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: cabinet · straw · key · craft · club · mark · bay · hand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. club — a group
  5. craft — boats
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. hand — help
  9. club — for golf
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — a skill
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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