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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — ground
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — to drop
  9. craft — boats
  10. land — to come down
  11. rock — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fall — to drop
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. land — a country
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fall — the season

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