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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
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: rest · craft · rock · wound · sharp · calf · pit · ground

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pit — a hole
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wound — an injury
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. craft — boats
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rock — music
  21. ground — crushed
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ground — a position
  24. rest — what's left

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