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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. suit — in cards
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. band — a ring
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. suit — clothes
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — clever
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. band — a music group
  17. object — to protest
  18. rash — a series
  19. craft — a skill
  20. object — a thing
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. craft — boats

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