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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bound — tied together
  6. charge — in control
  7. craft — boats
  8. field — for sport
  9. bound — certain
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. field — a subject
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rest — what's left
  17. charge — a price
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. field — farmland
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rest — a break
  22. snap — to click
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — obliged

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