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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. land — to come down
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. row — a line
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. land — a country
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. land — ground
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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