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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
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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: cold · key · craft · tear · can · lie · suit · branch

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. key — the most important part
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cold — an illness
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — to recline
  15. key — for a lock
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tear — from crying
  22. can — to be able to
  23. craft — boats
  24. tear — to rip

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