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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.

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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 · firm · current · rest · bark · plane · lie · craft

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — of water
  4. rest — a break
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rest — what's left
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. firm — steady
  17. rest — what's left
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. bark — to shout
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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