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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pit — in a race
  3. club — for golf
  4. present — there
  5. bound — obliged
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — a tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. club — a group
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. craft — boats
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. present — a gift
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pit — a hole
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. club — for dancing
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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