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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 120 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
468
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: spell · mate · swing · craft · stock · bulb · arm · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. spell — magic
  5. mate — a friend
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stock — shares
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stock — goods
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — for light
  16. swing — to play on
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. spell — letters
  24. bear — the animal

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