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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rock — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. net — in sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. net — after costs
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mate — a partner
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — boats
  21. bound — certain
  22. rock — a stone
  23. net — for catching
  24. calf — of the leg

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