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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: rock · saw · dip · key · craft · wake · stick · toast

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — a stone
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — a skill
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wake — a trail
  14. toast — bread
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. key — in music
  21. craft — boats
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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