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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: firm · bay · craft · mine · spring · ball · kick · lean

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. firm — a company
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. spring — a coil
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. kick — in football
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mine — for digging
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — of water
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. spring — the season
  22. lean — thin
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a dance

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