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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hand — in cards
  4. present — there
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. present — the time now
  8. hand — help
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. face — to point toward
  11. root — the cause
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a word
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — a gift
  16. craft — a skill
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. craft — boats
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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