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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · craft · roll · press · field · tear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — newspapers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. roll — a list
  6. craft — boats
  7. tear — from crying
  8. field — for sport
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. roll — a cake
  12. field — a subject
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tear — to rip

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