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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
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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: suit · craft · spell · file · kick · wind · game · bowl

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — magic
  4. game — wild animals
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wind — moving air
  7. file — a tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. file — a document
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. file — a line of people
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. spell — letters
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — boats
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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