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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — to tire
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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