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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: rock · foot · stand · lie · calf · content · craft · racket

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. content — happy
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lie — to recline
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. craft — a skill
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. foot — a measure
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  24. racket — for tennis

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