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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: calf · field · stand · chair · leaves · face · craft · safe

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. 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. calf — of the leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. face — to point toward
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. craft — boats
  13. field — a subject
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. craft — a skill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chair — a leader
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. 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