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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. season — of the year
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — a grade
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. snap — to click
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. craft — a skill
  18. season — in sport
  19. rush — hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — boats
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rush — a thrill

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