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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: craft · fine · key · wake · kid · squash · mark · staff

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wake — a trail
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — for a lock
  10. staff — employees
  11. fine — all right
  12. kid — to tease
  13. fine — high quality
  14. staff — employees
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. staff — a stick
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. kid — child
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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