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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hand — help
  6. file — a document
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. file — a line of people
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. file — a tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — a permit

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