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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — for a lock
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — boats
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mug — to rob
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — a face
  20. spell — letters
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spell — magic

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