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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
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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: mouse · craft · pitcher · suit · fork · rest · lie · date

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. craft — boats
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lie — to recline
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fork — in a road
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lie — an untruth

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