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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: craft · bear · can · fine · cold · lie · rock · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — high quality
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cold — not warm
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. craft — boats
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. can — a tin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cold — an illness

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