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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. kid — to tease
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. board — to get on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kid — child
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. board — a committee
  23. bound — certain
  24. craft — boats

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