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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pop — to visit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. land — to come down
  6. craft — boats
  7. land — a country
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. pop — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pop — soda
  14. land — ground
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mug — to rob

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