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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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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. staff — employees
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. object — to protest
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. object — a thing
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cold — not warm
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cold — an illness
  20. foot — a measure
  21. craft — boats
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. craft — a handicraft

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