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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: fine · cue · deal · rule · craft · current · lie · fall

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — high quality
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a skill
  13. current — electric
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — happening now
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. current — of water
  23. lie — to recline
  24. deal — to handle

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