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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: last · wave · lie · craft · mate · rock · ball · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — final
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. craft — boats
  10. rock — a stone
  11. craft — a skill
  12. last — finally
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ball — a dance
  18. last — to go on
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. hand — help
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rock — music

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