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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. object — to protest
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — boats
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. wound — an injury
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. object — a thing

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