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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. track — a song
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. track — a path
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. kid — to tease
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bore — to drill
  18. kid — child

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