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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — to drill
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ground — the earth
  10. drill — army training
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — boats
  14. bore — to tire
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fall — to drop
  17. root — the cause
  18. drill — the tool
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — of a word
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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