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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. snap — to click
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bore — to tire
  9. craft — boats
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. degree — from a university
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bore — to drill
  16. squash — the sport
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. nail — on a finger

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