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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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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: lie · bore · bank · craft · toast · net · sharp · shower

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — for money
  3. bore — to drill
  4. toast — bread
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. net — in sport
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bank — for money
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bank — of a river
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. net — for catching
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — boats
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. net — after costs
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bore — to tire

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