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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: rest · lash · file · spell · toast · craft · date · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. file — a tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — magic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a document
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. craft — boats
  23. file — a line of people
  24. spell — letters

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