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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: net · chair · fine · face · calf · bulb · stand · rash

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — all right
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rash — a series
  23. net — for catching
  24. fine — high quality

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