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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. deal — to handle
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — to tire
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — of water
  7. net — in sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. spring — the season
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — to drill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. net — after costs
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — for catching
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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