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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: craft · bore · rash · fan · dip · row · sharp · lie

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rash — hasty
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. craft — boats
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. row — a line
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — a supporter

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