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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
468
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: stand · wake · current · craft · foot · coach · key · hide

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — to bear
  6. craft — boats
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. key — in music
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — a trail
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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