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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: date · rock · game · leaves · craft · key · drill · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. game — wild animals
  5. drill — the tool
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. drill — army training
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — in music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. game — a match
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. key — the most important part
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — for a lock
  24. drill — a practice

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