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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: rule · mine · craft · season · swing · nail · lie · board

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — a skill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — government
  6. mine — for digging
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — of the year
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. season — in sport
  13. board — a committee
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. craft — boats
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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