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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · tube · suit · toast · foot · craft · can · snap

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. can — to be able to
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. suit — to fit
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. spell — letters
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. can — a tin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to click
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. craft — a skill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. spell — magic
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. craft — boats
  24. can — a tin

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