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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fall — to drop
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. net — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. net — for catching
  17. fall — the season
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — after costs
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — to drop

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