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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. face — to point toward
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. capital — money
  5. craft — boats
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. scale — in music
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — to tire
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. face — to confront
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. craft — a skill
  19. face — part of the head
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. safe — out of danger

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