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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. craft — boats
  8. stock — goods
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — on your feet

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