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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. craft — boats
  3. bound — obliged
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bound — certain
  9. craft — a skill
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — what's left
  13. drill — army training
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bulb — for light
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rest — a break
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fork — in a road

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