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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: saw · present · craft · wound · bowl · fan · deal · stock

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — a gift
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — shares
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. present — there
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. present — the time now
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — boats
  20. deal — to handle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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