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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. club — for golf
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. craft — a skill
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. tube — a container
  11. craft — boats
  12. bound — certain
  13. club — for dancing
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — to bear
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. object — a thing
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. foot — a measure
  24. club — a group

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