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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: land · bear · mouse · calf · kick · craft · face · jam

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — the animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. land — ground
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — boats
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — to come down
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. land — a country
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. kick — in football
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — a skill

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