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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — in sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — to get on
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. march — the month
  17. craft — a skill
  18. current — electric
  19. march — the month
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — for catching
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. march — music

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