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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 116 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: bat · spell · key · wound · rock · pit · calf · craft

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. key — in music
  22. craft — boats
  23. key — for a lock
  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