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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. season — of the year
  3. lie — to recline
  4. current — happening now
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — boats
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — of water
  24. craft — a handicraft

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