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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a line
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bound — certain
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — to handle
  8. tear — to rip
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — an agreement

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