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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: row · bore · mark · current · drill · firm · calf · craft

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — of water
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. mark — a trace
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bore — to tire
  15. drill — army training
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. current — happening now
  23. drill — the tool
  24. current — electric

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