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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: can · craft · roll · calf · pound · patient · bulb · jam

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. roll — a cake
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pound — a weight
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. can — a tin

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