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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: face · roll · land · field · bowl · calf · craft · rest

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. field — a subject
  3. craft — boats
  4. land — a country
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. field — farmland
  9. land — to come down
  10. craft — a skill
  11. roll — a list
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — ground
  15. field — for sport
  16. roll — a cake
  17. face — to confront
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rest — what's left
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rest — a break

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