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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 120 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: rush · lie · current · craft · wake · pitch · ground · fine

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ground — a position
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wake — a trail
  20. craft — boats
  21. current — electric
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitch — completely
  24. current — of water

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