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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. craft — a skill
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stock — shares
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bound — tied together
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — goods
  21. bound — certain
  22. craft — boats
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. nail — for a hammer

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