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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: face · bear · craft · net · mug · deal · spell · leaves

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — a face
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. face — part of the head
  15. spell — letters
  16. net — after costs
  17. face — to confront
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. deal — to handle
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. leaves — lets stay

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