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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mug — to rob
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bank — for money
  12. craft — boats
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — to recline
  21. last — to go on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. saw — the tool

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