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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pop — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — a stone
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bore — to drill
  9. band — a ring
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pop — soda
  14. craft — boats
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bore — to tire
  19. firm — decided
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. firm — steady
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rock — music

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