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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: lash · lean · prune · shower · lie · patient · craft · arm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. lean — to bend
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — rain
  19. prune — to trim
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. craft — boats
  24. arm — part of the body

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