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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. craft — boats
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — of law
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. court — for sport
  22. bound — certain
  23. bore — to tire
  24. plane — an aircraft

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