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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: ground · craft · cold · calf · fine · capital · safe · rock

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. capital — money
  3. cold — an illness
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ground — the earth
  6. cold — not warm
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. fine — high quality
  13. capital — a city
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fine — all right
  16. craft — a skill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. craft — boats
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. rock — a stone

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