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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · firm · leaves · club · content · mug · field · spell

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. content — the amount
  3. mug — a face
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. field — for sport
  8. firm — steady
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. spell — magic
  11. field — a subject
  12. club — for dancing
  13. field — farmland
  14. club — for golf
  15. content — happy
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. club — a group
  21. craft — boats
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. content — videos and posts

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