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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to click
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. craft — boats
  8. date — the fruit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — a handicraft

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