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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mate — a partner
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. club — a group
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mate — to breed
  14. craft — a skill
  15. staff — employees
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mark — a grade
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mate — a friend
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a trace

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