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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: craft · spell · racket · rest · wound · bulb · mark · cabinet

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — boats
  6. mark — a trace
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. spell — letters
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. spell — a short time
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — magic
  24. racket — for tennis

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