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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to click
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fork — in a road
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mouse — the animal

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