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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — certain
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. current — of water
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bound — tied together
  10. current — happening now
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chair — a leader
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bound — obliged
  19. swing — in golf
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. foot — a measure
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. swing — music

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