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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: row · wound · can · calf · staff · craft · lean · last

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. row — a line
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. can — to be able to
  10. staff — a stick
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. last — to go on
  15. can — a tin
  16. staff — employees
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. craft — boats

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