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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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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. lie — an untruth
  4. club — a group
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. tear — from crying
  9. lie — to recline
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tear — from crying
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. club — for golf
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — in control
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. club — for dancing
  20. tear — to rip
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to click
  24. charge — a price

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