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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. face — to point toward
  8. file — a tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kid — child
  11. craft — boats
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. file — a document
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. file — a line of people
  23. face — to confront
  24. arm — a part of something

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