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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.

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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: staff · mark · craft · spring · bank · wave · bore · mine

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — boats
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — the season
  8. staff — a stick
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — to drill
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — of the sea

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