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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — in a race
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stock — goods
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — shares
  15. firm — decided
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a music group
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — steady
  23. band — a ring
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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