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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. key — in music
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — a song
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — a path
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. track — to keep track
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ball — a great time
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. court — of law
  20. ball — a dance
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. court — for sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. trunk — of a car

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