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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rock — a stone
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — for catching
  11. bank — for money
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — in sport
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. net — after costs
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bowl — a football final

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