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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — electric
  3. bore — to tire
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. current — happening now
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. spell — magic
  15. current — of water
  16. bore — to drill
  17. scale — in music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — to recline
  21. craft — boats
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — gave birth

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