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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. saw — the tool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pound — a weight
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bore — to drill
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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