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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. snap — to click
  6. craft — boats
  7. press — to push
  8. row — a line
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. row — to paddle
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bore — to drill
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. row — a quarrel

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