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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. face — to confront
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. face — part of the head
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. face — to point toward

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