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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: bay · spell · rock · dip · rush · craft · staff · mine

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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. staff — employees
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mine — for digging
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — magic
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. staff — a stick
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — letters
  22. craft — a skill
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. staff — employees

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