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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · tube · stock · bore · wave · lie · racket · bear

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — goods
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — boats
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lie — to recline
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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