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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: game · sharp · calf · court · key · craft · chip · perch

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a skill
  4. court — for sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — the fish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — of a king
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. key — for a lock
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. court — of law
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — wild animals
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — in music

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