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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. craft — a skill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. branch — a division
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — the fish
  17. craft — boats
  18. face — to confront
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. face — to point toward
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. branch — of a tree

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