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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: calf · pound · bass · stand · fork · face · craft · ball

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fork — in a road
  7. face — to confront
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — boats
  10. face — part of the head
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. face — to point toward
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pound — to hit hard

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