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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: clip · lean · craft · foot · stick · lie · key · pitcher

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lean — thin
  7. craft — boats
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. clip — for paper
  18. key — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. foot — part of the body

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