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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: spell · object · prune · calf · craft · kid · hide · wake

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. object — a thing
  6. spell — magic
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. object — an aim
  17. kid — to tease
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. craft — boats
  21. kid — child
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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