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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — a position
  10. board — a committee
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. board — to get on
  13. mug — a face
  14. craft — boats
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mug — a cup
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — to drill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bear — the animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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