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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. content — happy
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — to recline
  9. object — a thing
  10. mug — to rob
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. object — to protest
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fork — to eat with

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