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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: lie · nail · row · march · wind · object · foot · craft

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. object — a thing
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — boats
  8. wind — moving air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — the month
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lie — to recline
  14. object — to protest
  15. craft — a skill
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — a line
  22. object — an aim
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. row — a quarrel

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