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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · bear · bound · chest · cap · mug · craft · object

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — to protest
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. object — an aim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. craft — a skill
  19. object — a thing
  20. bound — certain
  21. craft — boats
  22. cap — a hat
  23. chest — a box
  24. cap — a lid

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