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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. craft — boats
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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