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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
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: field · craft · lie · stick · bound · pitcher · last · bay

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bound — tied together
  13. last — to go on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. last — final
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — finally
  18. bound — certain
  19. field — a subject
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. craft — a skill

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