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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: bay · craft · hide · fine · straw · charge · bore · lie

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. charge — in control
  5. craft — boats
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. craft — a skill
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bore — to drill
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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