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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. key — for a lock
  3. date — the fruit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. face — to confront
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. face — part of the head
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rush — hurry
  14. spell — a short time
  15. key — the most important part
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. toast — bread
  22. key — in music
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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