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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 120 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a song
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. track — a path
  8. craft — boats
  9. cue — a signal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. face — part of the head
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. face — to confront
  24. prune — to trim

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