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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 124 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. field — a subject
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. field — farmland
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — to paddle
  18. saw — the tool
  19. field — for sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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