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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fall — the season
  5. clip — to cut
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rash — a series
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — boats
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rest — a break
  15. fall — to drop
  16. spell — magic
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. spell — letters
  19. fall — to drop
  20. clip — a video
  21. rest — what's left
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fan — a supporter

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