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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. can — a tin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. can — to be able to
  6. craft — boats
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bat — the animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. root — the cause
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rock — music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — for spectators

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