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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — in a race
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. land — ground
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bound — tied together
  12. land — a country
  13. craft — boats
  14. pit — a hole
  15. lean — thin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rock — music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. land — to come down
  23. bound — certain
  24. lean — to rest against

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