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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
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: can · craft · hand · last · mate · bay · deal · mark

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. last — final
  3. craft — boats
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. can — to be able to
  7. deal — to handle
  8. last — to go on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mate — a friend
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — a tin
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. last — finally
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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