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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wax — to grow
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — a short time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. spell — letters
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. spell — magic
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. can — a tin

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