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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: chair · calf · rest · wave · craft · hand · jam · wake

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rest — a break
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rest — what's left
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. craft — a skill
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. craft — boats
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rest — what's left

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