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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: court · calf · mark · wake · sharp · craft · face · wave

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. court — of law
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. court — for sport
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mark — a trace
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. court — of a king

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