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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 · straw · plane · march · calf · pass · ball · hide

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. march — the month
  15. craft — boats
  16. pass — a permit
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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