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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: fine · net · tube · file · rest · bay · craft · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — all right
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. net — for catching
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. net — in sport
  14. tube — a container
  15. net — after costs
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — high quality

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