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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 116 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: calf · bulb · fine · court · drill · march · craft · racket

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. drill — army training
  3. court — of a king
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. court — of law
  9. drill — a practice
  10. march — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. march — the month
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. march — the month
  24. fine — all right

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