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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spring — of water
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. spring — the season
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bore — to drill
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rock — a stone
  19. object — an aim
  20. spring — a coil
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. staff — employees

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