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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. roll — a list
  4. bore — to tire
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — decided
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — to drill
  15. roll — a cake
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. craft — boats

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