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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — boats
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bore — to tire
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chair — a leader
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. court — for sport
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. court — of law
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rock — music
  24. bore — to drill

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