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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: mug · craft · object · capital · saw · spring · rush · prune

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. spring — the season
  3. object — a thing
  4. capital — money
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. object — an aim
  7. craft — a skill
  8. saw — the tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. capital — a city
  11. mug — to rob
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spring — of water
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. spring — a coil
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mug — a cup
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mug — a face
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — boats
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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