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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bound — tied together
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bound — obliged
  7. craft — boats
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. key — in music
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — certain
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — a measure
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. key — the most important part
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cell — a phone
  24. foot — part of the body

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