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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fine — all right
  3. firm — a company
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bore — to drill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to tire
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tear — to rip
  20. craft — boats
  21. firm — steady
  22. fine — high quality
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. craft — a skill

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