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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: rash · arm · spell · craft · wind · bear · saw · lean

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rash — a series
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. saw — the tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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