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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. land — a country
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bat — the animal
  10. land — to come down
  11. craft — boats
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. suit — clothes
  18. land — ground
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up 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