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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: craft · bank · net · saw · hand · bear · safe · pass

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hand — help
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. net — after costs
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — in sport
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. net — for catching
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bank — for money
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — in cards

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