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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 120 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. net — for catching
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — boats
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — of a word
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — the cause
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a plant

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