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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: ball · craft · coach · calf · trunk · bore · squash · track

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. track — a path
  13. ball — a dance
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. squash — the sport
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a great time
  22. craft — a skill
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. track — a song

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