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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a skill
  6. degree — temperature
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. craft — boats
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rest — a break
  11. mate — a partner
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. roll — a list
  20. degree — an amount
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. degree — from a university
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. roll — on a roll

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