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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: present · rest · lie · rash · craft · bore · wake · pit

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rash — a series
  11. present — there
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — a break
  19. craft — boats
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. rash — on the skin

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