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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.

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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: craft · rule · calf · ball · kick · hand · content · pitch

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. kick — in football
  3. hand — help
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — completely
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hand — in cards
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rule — a law
  22. content — happy
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — a skill

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