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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — a tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — boats
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bank — of a river
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — for money
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a skill
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — in cards
  24. safe — out of danger

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