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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. craft — boats
  3. fine — all right
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. season — of the year
  7. bound — obliged
  8. season — in sport
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bound — certain
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a skill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. prune — to trim
  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