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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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468
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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kid — child
  7. craft — boats
  8. band — a ring
  9. season — of the year
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kid — to tease
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. band — a music group
  19. vault — a safe
  20. season — in sport
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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