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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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468
Word bank
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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fall — to drop
  7. deal — to handle
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. spell — a short time
  11. craft — boats
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spring — of water
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spring — the season
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fall — the season
  24. craft — a skill

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