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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · craft · board · bay · date · pitcher · lie · row

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rest — a break
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — to get on
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — boats
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. board — a committee
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a flat piece

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