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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. craft — a skill
  3. row — a line
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — a break
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. fan — a supporter

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