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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stock — shares
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fall — the season
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. suit — in cards
  12. game — a match
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. land — ground
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. craft — a skill
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. craft — boats

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