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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pass — a permit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pit — in a race
  14. game — a match
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. squash — to crush
  17. craft — boats
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bound — tied together

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