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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. scale — size or range
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — in football
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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