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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — of law
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. key — in music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. key — for a lock
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. straw — dry grass

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