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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 120 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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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: pop · straw · plane · mark · fine · calf · mouse · craft

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pop — to visit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fine — all right
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. craft — boats
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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