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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hand — help
  5. spring — of water
  6. net — after costs
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — the season
  11. suit — in cards
  12. season — of the year
  13. net — for catching
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. craft — boats
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — a coil
  23. net — in sport
  24. suit — clothes

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