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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — to eat
  5. file — a document
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lie — to recline
  12. branch — a division
  13. craft — boats
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. craft — a skill

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