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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 · staff · cap · craft · deal · game · arm · present

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cap — of ice
  4. face — to confront
  5. staff — a stick
  6. game — a match
  7. present — the time now
  8. face — to point toward
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cap — a hat
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. present — there
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — boats
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — wild animals
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — a gift
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. arm — part of the body

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