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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cell — a phone
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — a city
  6. board — to get on
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. craft — boats
  9. capital — money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — to drill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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