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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — to breed
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — in biology
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bulb — for light

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