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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: rock · court · calf · mark · craft · snap · lie · current

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. current — happening now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. court — of law
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rock — music
  21. craft — a skill
  22. snap — to click
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lie — to recline

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