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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 116 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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. mug — a face
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — to rob
  7. swing — to play on
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — to recline
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. swing — in golf
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. craft — a handicraft

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