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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 120 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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. craft — a skill
  3. file — a document
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. file — a tool
  7. mine — for digging
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. file — a line of people
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. pound — a weight
  23. object — an aim
  24. lie — to recline

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