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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — ground
  4. craft — boats
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lean — thin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. craft — a skill
  23. land — to come down
  24. ball — a great time

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