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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. firm — steady
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. face — part of the head
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fork — in a road
  10. face — to confront
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — boats
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. firm — a company
  18. face — to point toward
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — the fruit

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