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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 · mouse · date · wound · craft · firm · file · pitch

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — a company
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. firm — steady
  12. craft — a skill
  13. file — a document
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — boats
  22. file — a tool
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wound — an injury

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