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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: rash · pitcher · can · fine · bay · spring · staff · craft

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. craft — boats
  6. rash — hasty
  7. spring — the season
  8. rash — a series
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — a coil
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. can — a tin
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pitcher — a jug

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