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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
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: calf · press · bowl · mark · face · squash · craft · pop

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pop — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. craft — a skill
  7. press — to push
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pop — soda
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pop — to visit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. craft — boats
  24. bowl — to roll

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