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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. craft — a skill
  5. object — an aim
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. object — a thing
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. craft — boats
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mark — a grade
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. sharp — clever

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