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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.

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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: wake · fine · object · bay · band · craft · kick · spring

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. object — an aim
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fine — all right
  9. band — a ring
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. object — a thing
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fine — high quality
  16. band — a music group
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. object — to protest
  20. wake — a trail
  21. craft — boats
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. kick — in football
  24. craft — a handicraft

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