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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: field · key · spell · stock · pass · craft · calf · wax

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. key — in music
  3. stock — shares
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. spell — magic
  7. field — a subject
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. field — farmland
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. field — for sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — boats
  24. calf — a young animal

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