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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a skill
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — a song
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. season — of the year
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — the amount
  12. race — a contest
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lie — to recline
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — happy
  18. season — in sport
  19. track — a path
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — to keep track
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. prune — to trim

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