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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.

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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — boats
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bore — to tire
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — a skill
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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