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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bound — obliged
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wake — a trail
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. firm — steady
  11. bass — low music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — certain
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — boats
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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