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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: lean · season · craft · kid · rest · sharp · scale · calf

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. lean — thin
  3. kid — child
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lean — to bend
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. scale — size or range
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kid — to tease
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — in music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. calf — a young animal

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