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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bound — certain
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. object — a thing
  6. board — to get on
  7. degree — an amount
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. object — an aim
  14. bound — obliged
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — a tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — temperature
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bound — tied together
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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