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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: hand · craft · club · tear · calf · bulb · cabinet · cue

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. club — a group
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hand — help
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cue — a signal
  21. club — for dancing
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cue — a hint
  24. club — for golf

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