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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: firm · bore · charge · shower · spring · calf · plane · craft

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — of water
  3. craft — a skill
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. shower — rain
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. bore — to tire
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. charge — in control
  21. firm — a company
  22. craft — boats
  23. shower — to wash
  24. craft — a handicraft

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