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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. craft — boats
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cap — a hat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — to recline
  18. sharp — clever
  19. kick — in football
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — a division
  24. fan — a supporter

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