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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. 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. mug — a cup
  2. wind — moving air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bass — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bass — low music
  17. face — to confront
  18. 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