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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bound — certain
  3. pit — a hole
  4. craft — boats
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pop — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cap — a lid
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bound — obliged
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pop — soda

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