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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bank — for money
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — a permit
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — of a river
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a path
  14. can — a tin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. track — a song
  23. wound — an injury
  24. craft — a handicraft

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