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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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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: deal · craft · straw · jam · bore · bark · pit · calf

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pit — a hole
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — to handle
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bark — to shout
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. straw — dry grass

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