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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.

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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: present · craft · sharp · kid · rule · lie · cabinet · dip

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kid — to tease
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — clever
  9. kid — child
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. dip — to sink
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lie — to recline
  18. present — there
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rule — government

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