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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: bowl · calf · craft · fall · ball · lie · kick · coach

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a dance
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fall — the season
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a great time
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fall — to drop
  24. calf — of the leg

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