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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.

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: pound · nail · mug · craft · cabinet · saw · spell · bay

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — letters
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mug — a face
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. spell — a short time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bay — a horse colour

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