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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stock — shares
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — with your hand

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