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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: craft · mine · wave · coach · capital · firm · calf · file

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. craft — boats
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. file — a document
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. capital — a city
  8. firm — decided
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. file — a tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. file — a line of people
  18. firm — steady
  19. mine — for digging
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. capital — money
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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