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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 120 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bore — to drill
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. rock — music
  16. stock — shares
  17. rock — a stone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — goods
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bore — to tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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