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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. craft — boats
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. roll — a cake
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. roll — a list
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bore — to drill
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. craft — a skill
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. suit — clothes

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