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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: face · leaves · fork · calf · dip · rash · toast · object

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. face — to point toward
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — a series
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. fork — in a road
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. dip — to sink
  17. object — a thing
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. object — to protest
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. face — part of the head
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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