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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 120 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: rest · squash · ball · craft · calf · track · sharp · bound

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. bound — tied together
  8. track — to keep track
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. track — a song
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rest — what's left
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — certain
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. ball — a dance
  22. squash — to crush
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. squash — the 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