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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. craft — boats
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chest — of your body
  8. tube — a container
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. spell — magic
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mine — for digging
  15. spell — letters
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. chest — a box
  19. mug — a face
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mug — to rob
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. spell — a short time

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