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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: rock · drill · land · craft · mug · temple · calf · stick

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. drill — army training
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — a stone
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mug — a cup
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mug — a face
  14. rock — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — ground
  21. craft — boats
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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