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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: bear · craft · mouse · saw · cap · calf · can · stand

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. craft — boats
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — of the leg
  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