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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: calf · stem · toast · bass · craft · capital · bore · lean

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. capital — a city
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lean — thin
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bore — to tire
  16. capital — money
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bass — low music
  22. craft — boats
  23. toast — bread
  24. bore — to drill

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