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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. sharp — clever
  9. craft — boats
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bore — to drill
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mug — a face
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mine — for digging

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