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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: land · cue · craft · arm · leaves · calf · fan · bore

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — boats
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. land — to come down
  22. bore — to drill
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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