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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. toast — bread
  5. face — to confront
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. object — a thing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — an aim
  11. spell — a short time
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — to sink
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. object — to protest
  19. key — for a lock
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. face — part of the head
  24. key — in music

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