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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rash — hasty
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bore — to tire
  11. snap — to click
  12. rash — a series
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ball — a dance
  21. track — a song
  22. craft — boats
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. track — to keep track

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