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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pop — to visit
  9. foot — a measure
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — music

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