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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: shower · calf · craft · hand · pass · present · bay · object

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — an aim
  3. hand — help
  4. present — a gift
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. shower — rain
  9. present — there
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — boats
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — the time now
  22. object — to protest
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — a skill

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