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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: bay · suit · firm · face · field · cabinet · craft · lie

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — a skill
  7. firm — steady
  8. field — for sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. craft — boats
  11. field — farmland
  12. firm — decided
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — a company
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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