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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: chair · can · firm · craft · spell · track · game · fine

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. craft — boats
  3. track — a path
  4. fine — high quality
  5. can — to be able to
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — a tin
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. track — a song
  10. spell — magic
  11. fine — all right
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — a short time
  14. game — a match
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a skill
  21. firm — steady
  22. chair — a leader
  23. game — wild animals
  24. track — to keep track

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