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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 120 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: tube · season · ball · craft · chest · rock · calf · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. craft — boats
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. season — in sport
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cell — in biology
  8. chest — a box
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cell — a phone
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chest — of your body
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — of the year
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ball — a great time
  20. tube — a container
  21. rock — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chest — of your body

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