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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: bore · spring · drill · craft · stem · deal · net · lash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. net — after costs
  7. spring — of water
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. craft — a skill
  11. net — for catching
  12. stem — to come from
  13. net — in sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spring — the season
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — boats
  24. drill — the tool

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