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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. craft — boats
  3. season — in sport
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bound — certain
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bound — tied together
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chip — to eat
  13. shower — to wash
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bound — obliged
  17. shower — rain
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. season — of the year
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. chip — for betting
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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