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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. row — a line
  3. ground — the earth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — all right
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — boats
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ground — a position
  21. row — to paddle
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. row — a quarrel

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