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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: ground · can · craft · court · calf · fork · cue · bowl

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. ground — crushed
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cue — a hint
  5. court — of a king
  6. ground — the earth
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cue — for pool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — boats
  17. court — of law
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fork — in a road
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. can — to be able to

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