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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 · scale · board · chair · mark · key · sharp

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. chair — a leader
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — letters
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — size or range
  13. spell — magic
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — a committee
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — a grade
  18. board — to get on
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. key — the most important part
  22. scale — in music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. sharp — exactly

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