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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: roll · court · stick · calf · craft · game · land · bat

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. court — of a king
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. roll — a list
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. bat — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. land — a country
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — a match
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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