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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · swing · pass · lie · craft · present · trunk · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a dance
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. swing — to play on
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lie — an untruth

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