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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · staff · stand · hand · mine · lash · racket · craft

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — for digging
  11. staff — a stick
  12. hand — help
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — to bear
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. craft — boats
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. craft — a handicraft

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