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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.

Words on the sheet
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: current · lie · mine · dip · craft · object · ball · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — an aim
  4. current — happening now
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — music
  9. current — electric
  10. mine — for digging
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lie — to recline
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. object — to protest
  17. dip — to sink
  18. object — a thing
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. current — of water
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. craft — boats

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