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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: chip · prune · spell · bowl · calf · bound · craft · drill

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. drill — army training
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. craft — a skill
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — to eat
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — for betting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. drill — a practice
  22. spell — letters
  23. prune — to trim
  24. craft — boats

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