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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
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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: wound · pitcher · face · pound · lie · craft · squash · fan

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lie — to recline
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — to confront
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. face — to point toward
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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