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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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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fall — to drop
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fall — the season
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. race — the arms race
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bear — the animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. race — humankind
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — boats
  20. race — a contest
  21. face — to confront
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — the animal
  24. 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