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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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468
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: rush · foot · stand · craft · pop · lie · tear · pound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pop — to visit
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pop — music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. craft — boats
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pop — soda
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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