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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lean — thin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bore — to drill
  5. object — to protest
  6. rock — music
  7. object — a thing
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. row — a line
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lean — to bend
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pop — music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pop — to visit
  19. craft — boats
  20. object — an aim
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pop — soda
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bowl — to 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