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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. bore — to tire
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. drill — army training
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. craft — boats
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mark — a trace
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. drill — a practice
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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