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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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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: racket · calf · lie · rest · firm · craft · cue · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — boats
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. firm — a company
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. firm — decided
  19. rest — a break
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — steady
  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