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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. hand — help
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stock — shares
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. key — in music
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — boats
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mine — an explosive

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