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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: craft · bore · calf · can · tube · fork · cap · key

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — for a lock
  4. can — to be able to
  5. key — in music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — a container
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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