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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rash — a series
  4. craft — boats
  5. tear — from crying
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. sharp — clever
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. row — a line
  21. rash — hasty
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. craft — a skill
  24. sharp — with an edge

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