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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: straw · craft · saw · jam · bowl · track · kid · bore

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. saw — the tool
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. craft — boats
  5. track — a song
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bore — to tire
  12. kid — to tease
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. track — a path
  16. kid — child
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — to drill
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. track — to keep track
  24. saw — the tool

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