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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.

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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. charge — a price
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. charge — in control
  24. craft — a skill

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