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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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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: suit · nail · straw · wake · craft · bass · calf · coach

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bass — the fish
  3. suit — in cards
  4. craft — boats
  5. bass — low music
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. craft — a handicraft

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