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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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · bay · spell · key · rush · bore · arm · file

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — a short time
  7. key — for a lock
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bore — to tire
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. file — a tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — magic
  20. bore — to drill
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — to hurry
  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