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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. scale — in music
  7. rule — a law
  8. bore — to drill
  9. craft — boats
  10. current — electric
  11. bat — the animal
  12. club — for golf
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. bore — to tire
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. club — a group
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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