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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 · wound · nail · mate · perch · mug · bore · chip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to tire
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chip — for betting
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mug — a face
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — to breed

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