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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — a tin
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. nail — on a finger
  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