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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — magic
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spell — letters
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. deal — to handle
  11. craft — boats
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — a short time
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lie — to recline

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