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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: mate · sharp · row · craft · calf · vault · ball · lash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. row — a line
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. craft — a skill
  6. row — to paddle
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. sharp — clever
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. craft — boats
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mate — a friend
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ball — a round shape

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