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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bark — to shout
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cell — a phone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bore — to drill

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