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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. craft — a skill
  3. toast — bread
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. staff — a stick
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. staff — employees
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — 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