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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 120 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: craft · face · capital · key · arm · fan · ground · rock

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — a stone
  4. capital — a city
  5. craft — a skill
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ground — the earth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — music
  20. ground — a position
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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