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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — a law
  4. stand — to bear
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — boats
  10. field — for sport
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — a skill
  18. branch — a division
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. face — part of the head
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. calf — a young animal

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