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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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468
Word bank
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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cold — an illness
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bore — to drill
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. toast — bread
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — gave birth

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