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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. craft — boats
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. band — a music group
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. band — a ring
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bulb — of a plant

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