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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fine — high quality
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. firm — a company
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mine — for digging
  13. squash — the sport
  14. craft — boats
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. firm — decided
  21. cue — for pool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. firm — steady
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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