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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to drill
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stock — shares
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. cap — a hat
  12. game — a match
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. game — wild animals
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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