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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — boats
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. roll — a list
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. field — for sport
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. craft — a skill
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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