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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: firm · spell · craft · rush · bore · spring · roll · mug

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. roll — a cake
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spell — letters
  7. craft — boats
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mug — a face
  14. spring — of water
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. roll — a list
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — a skill

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