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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · bore · firm · chest · craft · prune · ball · jam

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. saw — the tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — boats
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a dance
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. firm — steady
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. firm — a company

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