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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. present — the time now
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. key — in music
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. present — there
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. track — a song
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. spell — magic
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — to keep track
  24. present — a gift

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