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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.

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: hide · lie · mate · suit · saw · craft · wound · bark

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. craft — a skill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mate — a friend
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mate — a partner
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — boats
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bark — of a tree
  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