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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rock — a stone
  8. field — for sport
  9. rock — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. field — farmland
  17. cue — for pool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cue — a signal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. snap — to click

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