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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. craft — boats
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. chest — a box
  13. current — happening now
  14. bass — low music
  15. current — of water
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fine — high quality
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bass — the fish

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