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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.

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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: mug · leaves · kid · pass · craft · key · fork · ground

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fork — in a road
  5. craft — boats
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ground — crushed
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. key — in music
  20. ground — a position
  21. pass — a permit
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. kid — child
  24. ground — the earth

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