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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. craft — a skill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cue — a hint
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — bread

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