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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rash — a series
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. staff — employees
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rash — hasty
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. staff — a stick
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — to tire
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. staff — employees
  19. cell — a phone
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. craft — boats

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