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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — a country
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. craft — boats
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rest — a break
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lie — to recline
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. land — to come down
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rest — what's left
  24. temple — a place of worship

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