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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bound — certain
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. spell — magic
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spell — letters
  9. bound — tied together
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. spell — a short time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. face — to confront
  16. branch — a division
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bound — obliged
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pit — a hole
  24. face — part of the head

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