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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bore — to tire
  7. craft — boats
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. craft — a skill
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — a measure
  24. safe — out of danger

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