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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
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: chip · hand · lash · band · craft · staff · track · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. staff — a stick
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. staff — employees
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. track — a song
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. track — to keep track
  17. staff — employees
  18. track — a path
  19. craft — boats
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — a skill
  22. band — a ring
  23. hand — help
  24. band — a music group

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