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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · craft · fan · pit · leaves · straw · bore · safe

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. spell — a short time
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spell — magic
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. craft — boats
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. spell — letters
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bore — to drill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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