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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. hand — help
  9. rush — hurry
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. face — to confront
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a skill
  19. band — a ring
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. band — a music group

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