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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a match
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. root — the cause
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. face — to confront
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — boats
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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