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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rash — a series
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. object — to protest
  8. bound — tied together
  9. object — an aim
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — boats
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bound — certain
  23. craft — a skill
  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