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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.

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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: craft · sharp · saw · rock · staff · deal · bound · season

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bound — obliged
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. staff — a stick
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bound — certain
  17. craft — a skill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — in sport
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. season — of the year
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. staff — employees

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