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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 · stock · calf · bass · bear · bore · temple · clip

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bore — to tire
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stock — shares
  13. clip — a video
  14. bass — low music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. clip — for paper
  20. stock — goods
  21. clip — to cut
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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