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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: cap · mine · calf · march · bear · straw · craft · mug

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mine — for digging
  3. march — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. craft — a skill
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mug — a cup
  12. march — the month
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. craft — boats
  20. mug — to rob
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — a face
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. straw — dry grass

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