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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: kid · fine · lash · craft · season · row · bore · mine

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. craft — boats
  15. season — in sport
  16. bore — to drill
  17. row — a line
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. season — of the year
  24. fine — all right

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