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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 116 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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bore — to tire
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — boats
  19. drill — the tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bore — to drill
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bear — the animal

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