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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rash — a series
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — thin
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — a price
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bore — to drill
  19. craft — boats
  20. fork — in a road
  21. can — to be able to
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rash — on the skin

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