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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: rock · calf · lean · plane · club · bear · last · craft

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. rock — music
  2. last — final
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. last — to go on
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lean — thin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. craft — boats
  22. last — finally
  23. plane — a tool
  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