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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — a grade
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mine — for digging
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bore — to tire
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. snap — to click
  20. foot — a measure
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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