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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: pit · hide · lean · safe · drill · craft · racket · staff

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. craft — boats
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lean — to bend
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a skill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a hole
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lean — thin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. drill — army training
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — a practice
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — out of danger

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