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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — boats
  3. bound — obliged
  4. spell — magic
  5. staff — employees
  6. rest — a break
  7. bound — certain
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. key — in music
  12. staff — a stick
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — letters
  17. bound — tied together
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to sink
  20. spell — a short time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rest — what's left
  24. arm — a part of something

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