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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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 — boats
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — steady
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — a skill
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wake — a trail
  16. kick — in football
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fine — all right
  21. rest — a break
  22. face — to confront
  23. kick — a thrill
  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