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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 120 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: craft · lie · rock · lean · pitcher · rule · mouse · field

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. field — a subject
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lean — to bend
  19. field — for sport
  20. craft — boats
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. field — farmland
  24. craft — a skill

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