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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. craft — boats
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bound — obliged
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — to eat
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wound — an injury
  24. chip — for betting

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