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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 120 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: rock · bore · pass · ball · rest · staff · wound · craft

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. craft — boats
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — a permit
  7. staff — employees
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rest — a break
  12. rock — a stone
  13. staff — employees
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — to tire
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a great 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