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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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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: pit · craft · cap · calf · mine · cue · plane · stick

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cap — of ice
  7. craft — boats
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cue — a signal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mine — for digging
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. cap — a hat

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