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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: toast · bay · lash · can · land · craft · face · stem

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. land — to come down
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. face — to point toward
  5. can — a tin
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. craft — a skill
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. craft — boats
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. face — to confront
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — to come from
  17. toast — bread
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. land — ground

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