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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 116 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: bore · pound · firm · craft · degree · pass · game · fine

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fine — all right
  5. game — wild animals
  6. firm — decided
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pound — a weight
  12. game — a match
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bore — to tire
  15. degree — an amount
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — boats
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. firm — a company
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — to spend time

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