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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — the cause
  3. fork — in a road
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lie — to recline
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. band — a ring
  15. root — of a word
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. game — a match
  20. band — a music group
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. cell — a phone
  24. game — wild animals

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