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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. bore — to tire
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rock — a stone
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stock — goods
  14. rock — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. craft — boats

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