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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. lie — to recline
  9. present — a gift
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. present — the time now
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — boats
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — to trim

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