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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.

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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: key · field · bore · clip · deal · craft · stand · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. key — in music
  6. field — a subject
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. stand — to bear
  12. key — the most important part
  13. clip — to cut
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. field — for sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. field — farmland
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — boats
  24. deal — to handle

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