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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — obliged
  3. net — in sport
  4. club — for golf
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. hand — help
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. bound — certain
  13. club — for dancing
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. club — a group
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — after costs
  21. bound — tied together
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. net — for catching

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