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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. straw — dry grass

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