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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: spell · craft · bowl · foot · chip · lie · vault · kid

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. spell — magic
  2. kid — child
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kid — to tease
  14. chip — to eat
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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