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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — soda
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — music
  11. land — to come down
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. land — ground
  15. lie — to recline
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. prune — to trim
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — to trim

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