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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · craft · lie · dip · rush · foot · kid · board

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. board — a committee
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lie — to recline
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. kid — child
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fine — all right
  12. foot — a measure
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — to sink
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kid — to tease
  23. craft — boats
  24. board — to get on

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