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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: field · drill · cue · bowl · craft · arm · bore · coach

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bore — to drill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. field — a subject
  8. cue — for pool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cue — a signal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. field — farmland
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — a skill
  18. field — for sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — boats
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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