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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hand — help
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. staff — employees
  7. object — to protest
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — a stick
  11. object — a thing
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rock — a stone
  18. craft — boats
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rock — music
  22. kick — in football
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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