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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: snap · calf · wave · pitcher · chest · craft · wake · mouse

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. craft — a skill
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chest — a box
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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