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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
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: deal · craft · band · straw · hide · pitcher · prune · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. craft — boats
  12. deal — to handle
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a music group
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. saw — the tool

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