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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — a skill
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mark — a grade
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. craft — boats
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. net — for catching
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mug — a face
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rash — hasty
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mug — a cup

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