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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 · safe · lean · coach · last · lash · spring · wake

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. last — finally
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lean — thin
  11. last — final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. spring — the season
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. last — to go on
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. spring — of water
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lean — to bend

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