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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: craft · face · bat · key · leaves · jam · fine · fan

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. craft — boats
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. face — part of the head
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. fine — all right
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. craft — a skill
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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