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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bound — tied together
  4. craft — boats
  5. bound — obliged
  6. charge — a price
  7. fine — all right
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — certain
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. club — a group
  14. fine — high quality
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — goods
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill

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