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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. field — for sport
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. band — a ring
  8. field — farmland
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stand — to bear
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. field — a subject
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. fine — all right
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. band — a music group

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