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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: staff · rest · wave · calf · pit · craft · club · stock

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. craft — a skill
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stock — goods
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — boats
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pit — a hole
  20. club — for golf
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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