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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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Word bank
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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: craft · chair · calf · stand · spell · pound

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. spell — a short time
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spell — letters
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. calf — of the leg

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