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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. last — finally
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — boats
  9. clip — a video
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — a trace
  12. craft — a skill
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. last — to go on
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. lie — to recline
  23. last — final
  24. jam — a tight spot

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