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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bass — low music
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a dance
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mine — for digging
  12. face — to confront
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — for pool
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — to tire
  18. march — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bore — to drill

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