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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — of water
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. capital — money
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. capital — a city
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. board — to get on
  21. current — electric
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — to drill
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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