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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 120 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
468
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: craft · bore · rock · fall · arm · can · last · face

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. face — part of the head
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. last — finally
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bore — to drill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — a stone
  20. face — to confront
  21. last — to go on
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. last — final
  24. arm — a part of something

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