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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wound — an injury
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. vault — a safe
  13. track — a path
  14. craft — boats
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. craft — a skill
  20. track — a song
  21. wound — an injury
  22. perch — the fish
  23. sharp — clever
  24. track — to keep track

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