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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. object — a thing
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. kid — child
  6. prune — to trim
  7. foot — a measure
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. craft — boats
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — an aim
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — a skill
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. object — to protest
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. row — a line
  24. kid — to tease

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