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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: deal · mug · wind · calf · racket · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wind — moving air
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — a cup
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wind — moving air
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mug — a face
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. craft — boats
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mug — to rob

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