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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rush — hurry
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. key — in music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bore — to drill
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. key — for a lock
  18. spell — a short time

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