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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. craft — a skill
  6. track — to keep track
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pit — a hole
  10. court — for sport
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — a song
  14. lie — to recline
  15. track — a path
  16. row — a line
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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