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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pass — a permit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — in football
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. calf — of the leg

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