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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.

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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fine — all right
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. board — a committee
  6. deal — to handle
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — to get on
  11. rest — a break
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — boats
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. board — a flat piece
  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