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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. court — of law
  3. stand — to bear
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. roll — a cake
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. court — of a king
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. roll — a list
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. craft — boats

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