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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. deal — to handle
  7. band — a ring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pound — a weight
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stem — to come from
  16. spell — letters
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — a skill
  23. band — a music group
  24. coach — a trainer

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