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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: craft · roll · ground · object · bore · last · fall · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. last — finally
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. roll — a list
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. object — a thing
  11. last — to go on
  12. object — to protest
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. net — in sport
  15. ground — a position
  16. last — final
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. object — an aim
  21. roll — a cake
  22. craft — a skill
  23. net — after costs
  24. craft — boats

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