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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — boats
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fine — all right
  11. rock — a stone
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. craft — a skill
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fine — high quality

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