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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bound — obliged
  7. craft — a skill
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bound — tied together
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — to get on
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. deal — to handle
  18. craft — boats
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. board — a flat piece

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