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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: craft · spell · swing · bank · nail · rush · deal · court

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. craft — boats
  3. bank — of a river
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bank — for money
  11. court — of a king
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — to handle
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. swing — to play on
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. rush — hurry
  20. swing — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rush — to hurry

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