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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — soda
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. capital — money
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pop — music
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. craft — boats
  13. bound — obliged
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — to visit
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. capital — a city

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