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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. club — for dancing
  3. craft — boats
  4. bore — to tire
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. club — a group
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. club — for golf
  17. race — a contest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. race — the arms race
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. craft — a handicraft

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