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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: mine · bay · pit · spell · straw · craft · fork · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. spell — letters
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. craft — boats
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — in a road
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — for digging
  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