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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. object — an aim
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hand — help
  5. object — a thing
  6. craft — boats
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. hand — in cards
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. kid — to tease
  16. squash — to crush
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kid — child
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. squash — the sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. object — to protest

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