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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: toast · craft · leaves · deal · spring · lie · row · game

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. row — to paddle
  3. game — a match
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spring — the season
  6. craft — boats
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. deal — to handle
  10. game — wild animals
  11. spring — a coil
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lie — to recline
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. toast — bread
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. row — a line
  19. spring — of water
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. craft — a handicraft

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