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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: mate · row · bear · craft · nail · lie · mug · land

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. land — to come down
  3. lie — to recline
  4. row — to paddle
  5. land — a country
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. craft — boats
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. row — a line
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mug — a face
  24. land — ground

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