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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — to bear
  4. drill — army training
  5. spring — of water
  6. drill — a practice
  7. spring — the season
  8. firm — decided
  9. mine — for digging
  10. spring — a coil
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — steady
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — a company
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lie — to recline

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