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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: lie · pound · nail · current · rush · craft · bat · perch

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. current — electric
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. current — of water
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. craft — boats
  12. bat — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — happening now
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bat — in an idiom

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