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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. face — to confront
  9. lie — to recline
  10. ball — a dance
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. snap — to click
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — boats
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. face — to point toward

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