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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 124 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rock — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. roll — a cake
  11. chest — a box
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — of your body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. roll — a list
  21. craft — boats
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — to fit

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