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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stock — shares
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a skill
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stock — goods
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — clothes
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bound — certain
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. craft — a handicraft

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