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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: bay · spell · roll · craft · date · season · firm · saw

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. firm — a company
  3. spell — magic
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. firm — steady
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. roll — a list
  15. spell — a short time
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — a cake
  18. craft — a skill
  19. season — in sport
  20. spell — letters
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a horse colour

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