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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 · cue · mate · bowl · can · bear · firm · saw

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. craft — boats
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mate — a friend
  18. firm — decided
  19. mate — to breed
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cue — for pool
  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