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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. present — the time now
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. present — there
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. present — a gift
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wound — an injury
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wound — an injury
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — a break
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. bound — tied together
  24. sharp — with an edge

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