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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. march — the month
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. march — the month
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tear — from crying
  16. march — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bound — certain
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stock — shares
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bound — tied together

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