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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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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: face · stand · mug · craft · shower · perch · snap · deal

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mug — a cup
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stand — to bear
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. craft — boats
  16. deal — to handle
  17. snap — to click
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mug — a face
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. face — to confront
  22. shower — to wash
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. craft — a handicraft

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