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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: saw · bank · snap · craft · coach · nail · jam · tear

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bank — for money
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — of a river
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. tear — from crying
  20. snap — to click
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bank — for money

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