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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: saw · object · file · wake · ground · date · spell · craft

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. date — the fruit
  5. file — a document
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — to protest
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. file — a tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. craft — boats
  13. object — a thing
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ground — a position
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. object — an aim
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. spell — magic
  23. ground — crushed
  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