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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. kick — in football
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — the fish
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — the tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. craft — boats
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bore — to tire
  18. saw — the tool
  19. degree — from a university
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bass — low music

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