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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wind — moving air
  7. march — music
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. march — the month
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pit — in a race
  16. board — to get on
  17. bound — tied together
  18. march — the month
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wind — moving air
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ball — a round shape

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