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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.

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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: stand · tear · deal · craft · calf · wound · coach · nail

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tear — to rip
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wound — an injury

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