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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 just a dried plum.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — for digging
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. season — in sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bear — the animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. craft — boats
  15. season — of the year
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. firm — a company
  24. bear — the animal

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