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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. craft — boats
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. hand — in cards
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. band — a music group
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hand — help
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a ring
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade

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