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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bore — to drill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. court — of a king
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tube — a container
  11. net — for catching
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. net — after costs
  16. court — for sport
  17. board — to get on
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — of law
  20. net — in sport
  21. board — a committee
  22. firm — decided
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. temple — a place of worship

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