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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: rush · face · hide · craft · fall · dip · fan · sharp

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. dip — to sink
  3. face — part of the head
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. face — to confront
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. craft — boats
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. face — to point toward
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. dip — to dunk

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