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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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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: calf · stem · net · coach · bulb · pop · craft · face

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pop — soda
  7. face — part of the head
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bulb — for light
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. net — for catching
  17. face — to confront
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — boats
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — after costs

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