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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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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 · dip · calf · last · rest · patient · bowl · craft

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — finally
  6. craft — boats
  7. face — to confront
  8. rest — a break
  9. last — to go on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. last — final
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. dip — to sink
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bowl — a dish

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