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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — steady
  4. bound — tied together
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — a gift
  8. mark — a trace
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. craft — boats
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. firm — a company
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. drill — army training
  16. chip — to eat
  17. craft — a skill
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. present — there
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mark — a grade

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