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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 116 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: pass · suit · mug · nail · wind · craft · file · kid

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. kid — to tease
  4. suit — clothes
  5. kid — child
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mug — to rob
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pass — a permit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a document
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. file — a tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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