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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lie — to recline
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. field — a subject
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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