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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. face — to confront
  4. dip — to sink
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. last — final
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — to tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. root — of a word
  14. craft — a skill
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. face — to point toward
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. last — finally
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. last — to go on
  23. root — the cause
  24. face — part of the head

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