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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. spell — letters
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. spell — magic
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. spell — a short time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ball — a dance
  24. toast — bread

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