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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: chest · foot · cell · craft · board · calf

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chest — a box
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. board — to get on
  9. cell — a phone
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cell — in biology
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chest — of your body
  18. foot — a measure

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