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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. suit — clothes
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cap — of ice
  18. face — to confront
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — a skill

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