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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. field — farmland
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. craft — boats
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. last — to go on
  13. field — a subject
  14. last — finally
  15. field — for sport
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pound — a weight
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. last — final
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pitcher — a jug

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