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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — boats
  3. object — a thing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — to protest
  15. craft — a skill
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — an aim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. sharp — clever
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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