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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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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: craft · ball · kid · rash · spell · foot · trunk · sharp

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. craft — a skill
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. craft — boats
  13. kid — child
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spell — magic
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. kid — to tease
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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