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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tube — a container
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. bore — to drill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rock — music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. face — to confront

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