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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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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. net — for catching
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — in sport
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. craft — a skill
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — boats
  17. fork — in a road
  18. net — after costs

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