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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bulb — for light
  17. hand — help
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — in cards
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bear — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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