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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. craft — a skill
  4. suit — to fit
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lean — to bend
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lean — thin
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rash — a series
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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