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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pop — soda
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. craft — boats
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ruler — a monarch

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