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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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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: calf · craft · stand · club · lash · trunk · bowl · court

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. club — for golf
  16. court — of a king
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. club — a group
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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