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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — a path
  13. lean — to bend
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — to tire
  19. row — a line
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — a song
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fine — high quality

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