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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — the earth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — the fish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — low music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bound — certain
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. craft — a handicraft

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