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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. suit — in cards
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bound — obliged
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. suit — clothes
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. suit — to fit

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