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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. craft — boats
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — final
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kick — in football
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. last — to go on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. last — finally
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rash — a series
  24. leaves — of a tree

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