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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
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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: wake · calf · chair · spell · rock · pitch · craft · last

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitch — completely
  3. last — final
  4. craft — boats
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. spell — magic
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — a trail
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — music
  21. chair — a leader
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. chair — a professorship

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