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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 120 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: kick · squash · spell · fine · content · craft · can · mark

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spell — letters
  7. kick — in football
  8. mark — a grade
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mark — a trace
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — magic
  20. craft — boats
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — all right
  23. content — happy
  24. squash — the vegetable

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