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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 116 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — in sport
  4. bound — obliged
  5. net — for catching
  6. current — of water
  7. game — a match
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. craft — boats
  10. current — electric
  11. face — to confront
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — certain
  17. face — to point toward
  18. current — happening now
  19. net — after costs
  20. bound — tied together
  21. craft — a skill
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fine — a penalty

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