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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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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: key · perch · game · craft · sharp · rush · calf · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — clever
  8. key — the most important part
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — in music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. perch — the fish
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — a skill
  19. game — a match
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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