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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: cap · object · craft · club · swing · rock · bear · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. craft — boats
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rock — music
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. club — a group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. swing — in golf
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cap — a hat
  16. swing — music
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. object — to protest
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bear — the animal
  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