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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — the season
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — in cards
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hand — help
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bore — gave birth

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