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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 116 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: mine · craft · saw · mark · rush · firm · rock · bear

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. firm — steady
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rock — a stone
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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