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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: fan · straw · lash · craft · lie · rush · fine · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. tear — from crying
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — hurry
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. tear — to rip
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. craft — boats
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  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