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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — boats
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. can — a tin
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — to breed
  23. can — a tin
  24. foot — part of the body

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