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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: current · saw · ground · arm · dip · coach · spell · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — crushed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — happening now
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. ground — a position
  18. current — of water
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. spell — a short time
  22. current — electric
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — the earth

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