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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.

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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: mug · roll · ruler · nail · craft · bore · kid · bulb

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — a cake
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. roll — a list
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — child
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mug — a face
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mug — to rob

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