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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 116 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.

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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 · tear · safe · bore · leaves · staff · pop · game

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. game — a match
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. tear — from crying
  5. craft — boats
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pop — to visit
  8. staff — employees
  9. bore — to drill
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bore — to tire
  12. tear — from crying
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pop — soda
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. game — wild animals
  23. staff — employees
  24. pop — music

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