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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: craft · calf · perch · mate · sharp · bat · kick · mouse

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — boats
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. kick — in football
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bat — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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