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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. craft — boats
  3. perch — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a skill
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — to recline
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pit — in a race
  14. face — part of the head
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. face — to point toward
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. saw — the tool
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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