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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · craft · calf · face · bowl · chair

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. 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. face — to confront
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stand — to bear
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. craft — boats
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. 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