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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 120 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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ball — a dance
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rule — government
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — a law
  18. drill — army training
  19. spell — letters
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. drill — a practice
  23. craft — boats
  24. spell — a short time

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