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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — a skill
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. craft — boats
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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