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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bound — certain
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chip — to eat
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — the time now
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. craft — boats
  21. present — there
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. present — a gift
  24. bass — low 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