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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.

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: rash · content · craft · lie · date · calf · spell · mate

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — to breed
  6. spell — a short time
  7. content — the amount
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. date — the fruit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. spell — magic
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rash — a series
  20. craft — a skill
  21. content — happy
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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