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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: cabinet · saw · wake · pass · craft · spell · mine · key

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — in music
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. key — for a lock
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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