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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: spring · bowl · craft · racket · calf · ruler

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spring — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spring — of water

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