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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wind — moving air
  15. craft — boats
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lean — to bend
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bore — to drill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — music
  24. wind — moving air

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