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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: craft · can · rest · rule · bear · foot · sharp · spell

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — boats
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bear — the animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — letters
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rule — a law
  14. rest — what's left
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. can — a tin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — government
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. craft — a skill
  24. spell — magic

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