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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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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: wind · spell · cap · row · bank · bay · craft · race

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — a hat
  6. row — a line
  7. spell — magic
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — boats
  12. race — a contest
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cap — a lid
  19. craft — a skill
  20. race — humankind
  21. wind — moving air
  22. race — the arms race
  23. spell — letters
  24. wind — to turn a key

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