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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bore · net · court · face · wake · bay · craft · stand

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. craft — a skill
  3. net — after costs
  4. court — for sport
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — part of the head
  7. court — of law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. net — in sport
  10. bore — to tire
  11. court — of a king
  12. net — for catching
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. face — to confront
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. craft — boats
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bore — gave birth

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