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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — boats
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — a tin
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. swing — to play on
  11. band — a music group
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — certain
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pound — a weight
  19. swing — music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rash — a series
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — to be able to
  24. band — a rubber band

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