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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. spell — magic
  10. board — a committee
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. scale — in music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hand — help
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spell — letters
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. hand — in cards
  24. scale — size or range

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