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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fork — in a road
  4. can — to be able to
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — boats
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. fine — all right

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