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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. present — the time now
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. present — a gift
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ground — the earth
  14. craft — boats
  15. ground — a position
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. game — a match
  23. present — there
  24. bear — the animal

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