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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: clip · fine · arm · bulb · staff · craft · root · lie

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — the cause
  4. clip — for paper
  5. craft — a skill
  6. staff — employees
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — a video
  9. root — of a word
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fine — all right

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