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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.

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: hide · craft · spring · wind · present · cabinet

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. present — there
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spring — the season
  6. craft — boats
  7. present — a gift
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. present — the time now
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hide — to keep secret

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