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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. hand — help
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. net — after costs
  6. root — of a plant
  7. net — in sport
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. root — the cause
  10. cell — in biology
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. net — for catching
  13. lie — to recline
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. cell — a phone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. root — of a word
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rush — hurry

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