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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: mate · calf · deal · tube · fork · content · ball · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. content — happy
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mate — to breed
  10. content — the amount
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ball — a great time
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. craft — boats
  24. calf — a young animal

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