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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · field · straw · hand · bay · craft · rock · bore

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. staff — employees
  3. field — a subject
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. hand — in cards
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. field — for sport
  10. bore — to drill
  11. hand — help
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rock — a stone
  16. field — farmland
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — music
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bore — to tire

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