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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. court — of a king
  7. swing — in golf
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. bound — certain
  11. deal — to handle
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — crushed
  16. craft — boats
  17. court — for sport
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — a skill
  23. firm — decided
  24. court — of law

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