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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — a skill
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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