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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.

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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: can · rest · sharp · bulb · craft · last · ball · spell

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — final
  11. craft — boats
  12. rest — a break
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — finally
  20. spell — a short time
  21. last — to go on
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ball — a dance
  24. spell — magic

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