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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. content — the amount
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to tire
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rest — a break
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rest — what's left
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. content — happy
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. craft — a skill
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rest — what's left

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