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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: board · safe · calf · craft · land · wake · rash · face

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wake — a trail
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. face — part of the head
  10. board — to get on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. craft — boats
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rash — a series
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. board — a committee
  23. land — ground
  24. rash — hasty

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