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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 120 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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — clever
  20. key — for a lock
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rush — hurry
  23. key — in music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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