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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 116 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: mine · face · perch · fine · row · game · craft · fork

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mine — for digging
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. row — to paddle
  14. game — wild animals
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fine — high quality
  18. game — a match
  19. fine — all right
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. craft — boats

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