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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.

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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: bat · pit · pass · craft · lie · current · clip · stick

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lie — to recline
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — boats
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. current — electric
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. current — happening now
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — of water
  21. pit — in a race
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lie — an untruth

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