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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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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fork — in a road
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. spell — a short time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bound — certain
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — a skill
  10. spell — magic
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. spell — letters
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bound — tied together
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cap — of ice

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