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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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — boats
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. land — a country
  14. season — of the year
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. land — to come down
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. lie — to recline
  20. season — in sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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