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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 116 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: lean · nail · dip · object · sharp · pitcher · calf · craft

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. sharp — clever
  4. craft — boats
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — to bend
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — a skill
  20. lean — thin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. object — an aim

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