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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hand — in cards
  8. row — a line
  9. hand — help
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — completely
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bowl — a dish

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