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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. firm — decided
  3. land — ground
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — steady
  7. content — happy
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. content — the amount
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — thin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — boats
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lean — to bend
  20. craft — a skill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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