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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — for digging
  3. tube — the underground
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to tire
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — boats
  10. cold — an illness
  11. tube — a container
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cold — not warm
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bore — to drill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mine — an explosive

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