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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. band — a ring
  21. ball — a dance
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. ball — a great time
  24. toast — bread

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