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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 120 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: object · pit · lie · craft · cap · calf · can · patient

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — boats
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — in a race
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. object — a thing
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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