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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: craft · mouse · fan · sharp · mark · calf · pit · cue

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cue — for pool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cue — a signal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. cue — a hint

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