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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.

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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pitch — completely
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — a sports field

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