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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: sharp · saw · fine · kid · row · pass · temple · bore

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pass — a permit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — a line
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. saw — the tool
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. kid — child
  22. fine — all right
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bore — to tire

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