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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. can — to be able to
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. swing — music
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — a tin
  11. swing — in golf
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. swing — to play on
  18. drill — army training
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — a practice
  21. band — a ring
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — the tool

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