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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bound — tied together
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. fork — to eat with

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