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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. present — there
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — to handle
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bat — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. present — the time now
  22. staff — employees
  23. present — a gift
  24. deal — an agreement

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