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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 124 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a path
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. craft — a skill
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. court — of a king
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. court — of law
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — to keep track
  21. court — for sport
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. sharp — with an edge

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