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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 · wave · rule · craft · pass · mug · bat · net

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mug — a face
  12. craft — boats
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rule — a law
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rule — government
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. net — in sport

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