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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: craft · snap · pitcher · staff · spell · saw · bowl · face

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spell — a short time
  5. saw — the tool
  6. snap — to click
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to point toward
  9. saw — the tool
  10. spell — letters
  11. craft — boats
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. face — to confront
  21. spell — magic
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — a stick

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