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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · rest · wave · calf · pit · craft

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — in a race
  5. craft — boats
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. craft — a skill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rest — what's left

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