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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.

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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mark — a trace
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — a skill
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. row — a line
  24. lie — an untruth

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