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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. deal — to handle
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. file — a document
  6. cue — for pool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. field — a subject
  9. cue — a signal
  10. file — a tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — boats
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. field — for sport
  19. file — a line of people
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bat — the animal
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — out of danger

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