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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: stem · mark · rash · calf · row · face · foot · craft

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. face — part of the head
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rash — a series
  13. stem — to come from
  14. row — to paddle
  15. face — to confront
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rash — hasty
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. mark — a trace

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