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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · craft · spell · file · kick · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. file — a line of people
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. craft — a skill
  10. file — a tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. kick — in football
  16. wind — moving air
  17. file — a document
  18. kick — a thrill

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