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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bore — to drill
  9. craft — boats
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rest — a break
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bore — to tire
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a grade
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — a stone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — to move gently

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