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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: jam · key · deal · last · calf · mate · spell · craft

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. last — to go on
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a partner
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. last — final
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. spell — magic
  13. mate — a friend
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spell — letters
  16. last — finally
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — in music
  21. spell — a short time
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. key — for a lock
  24. craft — boats

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