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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: spell · mine · roll · jam · toast · race · club · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mine — for digging
  5. race — humankind
  6. craft — boats
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. club — a group
  13. roll — a list
  14. spell — magic
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. spell — a short time
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. roll — a cake
  20. club — for golf
  21. spell — letters
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. toast — bread

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