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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. can — to be able to
  15. swing — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a grade
  24. swing — in golf

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