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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pass — a permit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. craft — boats
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. craft — a skill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. date — the fruit
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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