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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 120 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: rest · club · temple · calf · kid · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kid — child
  11. club — for golf
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. craft — a skill
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kid — to tease

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