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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitch — completely
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. kid — child
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mine — for digging
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lie — to recline
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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