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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: spring · rock · sharp · mine · bowl · dip · wave · craft

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. sharp — clever
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. spring — of water
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rock — music
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. craft — boats
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. spring — a coil
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. sharp — with an edge

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