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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: nail · craft · net · bass · bear · can · court · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — low music
  8. court — for sport
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. net — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of law
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — the fish
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. craft — boats
  21. court — of a king
  22. kick — in football
  23. craft — a skill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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