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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · cell · spring · firm · rock · craft

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — a gift
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rock — music
  6. present — the time now
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. spring — a coil
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. craft — a skill
  14. firm — steady
  15. present — there
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — boats

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