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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ground — a position
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. present — there
  15. charge — a price
  16. cue — a hint
  17. charge — in control
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. ground — the earth
  22. present — the time now
  23. craft — a skill
  24. present — a gift

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