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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bore — to drill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bark — to shout
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. firm — a company
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — steady
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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