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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. content — the amount
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chest — of your body
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — a gift
  12. chest — a box
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. craft — a skill
  19. chest — of your body
  20. content — happy
  21. present — there
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — in music

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