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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rash — hasty
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wound — an injury
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. game — a match
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wound — an injury
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. tube — a container
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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