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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — to bend
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ground — crushed
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. face — to confront
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ground — a position
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. craft — boats
  24. ground — the earth

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