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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: fall · key · fan · hide · season · bay · foot · craft

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. craft — a skill
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — boats
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. foot — a measure
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fall — the season
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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