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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.

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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. craft — a skill
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. spell — a short time
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. spell — magic
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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