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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — in music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. spell — magic
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bound — certain
  11. firm — decided
  12. craft — a skill
  13. firm — a company
  14. spell — a short time
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — a stone
  17. saw — the tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. rock — music
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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