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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.

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: wind · mouse · pop · can · chip · stand · lie · craft

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chip — for betting
  7. can — to be able to
  8. craft — boats
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. can — a tin
  23. pop — to visit
  24. chip — in a computer

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