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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.

Make a worksheet

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: firm · straw · mate · wake · object · lie · craft · mug

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mug — a face
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. object — an aim
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — a trail
  21. object — a thing
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. object — to protest

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