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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. 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. fine — high quality
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — for a lock
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — all right
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — in music
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. 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