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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ball — a dance
  11. present — a gift
  12. craft — a skill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. race — the arms race
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. ball — a great time
  24. race — a contest

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