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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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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: club · safe · bay · craft · rest · pop · spring · spell

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. club — for golf
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spring — a coil
  7. club — a group
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pop — soda
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rest — a break
  18. craft — boats
  19. spring — the season
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spring — of water
  22. spell — magic
  23. pop — music
  24. craft — a handicraft

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