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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bore — to tire
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fine — all right
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — thin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — a song
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — the time now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — a gift
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. track — a path

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