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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — in a road
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kick — in football
  13. face — to confront
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — to bear
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. face — part of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  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