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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. craft — boats
  3. net — for catching
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. drill — the tool
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — army training
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — decided
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. rock — music
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — a young animal

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