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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
468
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: cabinet · ball · toast · spell · craft · present · stock · temple

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. present — there
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stock — goods
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. spell — letters
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a dance
  14. craft — boats
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — the time now
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. present — a gift
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — ministers

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