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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 120 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: mouse · kid · mark · fall · rock · can · hide · craft

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fall — the season
  9. kid — child
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kid — to tease

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