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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — to rob
  6. land — ground
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. land — to come down
  9. mug — a face
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. land — a country
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — to tire
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mug — a cup
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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